


Easy Living

by alabasterclouds



Series: Weekends at Carol's [6]
Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Age Play, Bathing/Washing, Childhood Trauma, Crying, Diapers, F/F, Infantilism, Jealousy, Non-Sexual Age Play, Nursing, Nursing Kink, Past Relationship(s), Wetting, time outs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-30 22:47:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6445342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alabasterclouds/pseuds/alabasterclouds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Therese, Carol, and Abby take a trip to the zoo. Just a cute, fluffy little ageplay fic with a little bit of petulance and jealousy from Little!Therese :) </p><p>Follow me on Tumblr! alabasterclouds.tumblr.com</p><p>Note: This is an ageplay fic, which means that it has elements of the ageplay kink in it. Please read the tags and consider yourself warned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Easy Living

**Author's Note:**

  * For [celestialskiff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialskiff/gifts).



> This is for celestialskiff, who got me into the Carol fandom in the first place :) Happy birthday!

Therese had known for some time that Abby would be coming with them to the zoo this weekend, but that didn't mean she was happy about it.

Oh, Therese was fine with Abby. After she'd looked after Therese the weekend Carol visited Rindy, Therese even sometimes liked Abby. Abby was sterner than Carol, but she was also a little more understanding of Therese's moods, and she certainly seemed to be able to anticipate them a little better than Carol could. While Carol was always warm and loving, she tended to show her exasperation a bit more, and her idea of dealing with Therese was to simply walk out when Therese was being fractious or fussy. Abby wouldn't walk out, but she would firmly and gently show Therese who was boss by giving her a time-out.

So Therese was fine with Abby, but work had recently been so busy that Therese felt like she could only connect with Carol on weekends, and that was when neither of them had to work overtime. Suddenly, the furniture store was booming with orders after a friend of Harge's had discovered it and spread the word among the wealthy Jersey set. Carol was often called in to work the weekend shifts and to consult with the many clients that came from the original recommendation. The money was good, but Carol was tired, and she was less patient with Therese, who was also tired from being hauled into work herself in the middle of the night or on weekend mornings to help with press. While their savings accounts grew, their patience was waning, and Therese had been whinier than usual as a response to Carol's apathy and exhaustion.

One night, after Therese had spent some time crying in the guest room and Carol had chain-smoked cigarettes on the fire escape, Carol came into the guest room quietly and put her arms around Therese, who was cuddling a pillow to her chest and generally feeling miserable. The real problem was that Therese was exhausted - so exhausted, in fact, that most of the time she felt like she was actually outside her body instead of inside it, and she couldn't identify the feelings that made her feel fussy and upset. Carol leaned back against the wall and Therese settled against her soft chest, listening to her heartbeat echo soothingly. 

"I think," said Carol, her voice gentle, "we need a bit of a break, darling."

Therese stiffened in Carol's arms. A break? Like the type of break that she had told Richard she wanted? But without Carol . . . Therese's eyes blurred with tears and her chest felt constricted. Carol looked down at Therese, clinging tightly to her suddenly and having trouble breathing, and she clucked under her tongue in chagrin.

"Oh, no, Therese, sweetheart, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that kind of break. Oh, angel." She leaned down and kissed Therese's forehead. "I didn't mean to frighten you so."

Therese sniffled against Carol, inhaling her comforting scent of perfume and cigarettes, and sighed a little shakily. She turned her face into Carol to hide her blush - she'd had an accident with the sudden relief of knowing Carol didn't want to leave her. She'd been wet anyway, but she'd been planning to deal with it herself since Carol seemed so preoccupied. But Carol felt the heat of Therese's face against her chest and she chuckled a little, knowing exactly what it meant.

"I certainly didn't mean to frighten you so much that you'd have an accident. My poor Therese." Carol patted Therese's bottom. "We'll take care of that shortly. No, what I meant was, I think it'd be nice if we went on an outing, or somewhere away from the city for a day or so. If we're not by the phone, they can't call us in, can they?" Carol's blue eyes sparkled, and Therese, looking up at Carol, dimpled as well. It would be nice to get away from the routine for awhile and away from the telephone.

"Well, that's that," said Carol lightly, and rubbed Therese's back for a little while, both of them just enjoying the relative peace. Then Carol stroked Therese's hair. "What would you like to do?"

Therese chewed on her thumbnail, thinking. They'd gone to the Nutcracker for Christmas and to other productions after Therese had told Carol that she'd never gotten to go to a Broadway theatre, though she'd been as an adult many times to off-Broadway productions. Carol loved to take Therese shopping, and Therese's work suits and dresses now filled over half the wardrobe, but Therese didn't want to spend the lovely May weather in a department store. 

"Central Park?" she offered, and Carol smiled. 

"Well, we go to Central Park quite frequently. Wouldn't you like to go somewhere else, maybe? Somewhere new?"

Carol was always very careful not to pry at Therese's childhood experiences without invitation, knowing that Therese had a lot of baggage surrounding her childhood. But she did sometimes ask Therese about things she wished she could have done or had as a child. Therese would have to sit and think. There was so much that she had wanted to do as a child that she'd never gotten to do.

But Therese knew exactly what she wanted to do, this time. She sat up a little straighter in Carol's arms, her eyes beginning to sparkle. "Could we go to the Bronx Zoo, maybe? I've never been."

Carol looked surprised. "Never? Well. I guess we'll pay a visit, then!" She smiled down at Therese, who was flushed in pleasure, and then patted Therese's bottom again. "Come on, darling. Time for a bath; you can't sit there wet all night."

Therese felt a little bold. "Well, if you hadn't decided to go out on the fire escape for most of it, I wouldn't have had to sit that much," she said, her tone a little cheeky. Carol raised her eyebrows but let it pass.

"This is why we need the break," she said drily, and Therese grinned. Carol chucked her gently under the chin.

"I'm glad you haven't lost your cheek, anyway."

In the bath, Therese felt happy enough to splash a little with the rubber duck bath toy that Carol had spotted in Frankenberg's on her way home one night. Therese wasn't much for toys - she didn't like most of them, and there was still a sense of being grown-up that she sometimes had a hard time breaking through, making playing with toys seem silly - but she did love her little yellow duck and she knew it gave Carol pleasure to see her splashing about with it. Carol wanted to buy her many more toys, as many as Rindy had had back in the Ridgewood house, but Therese wouldn't let her. Mostly, she just wanted to be with Carol. That was enough of a treat, even months after they'd moved into together.

Carol washed Therese's hair carefully, trying not to get soap into her eyes, though Therese was a little squirmy and excited with the idea of going to the zoo soon. Though she tried, Carol couldn't keep the shampoo from Therese's eyes, and Therese screwed up her face, rubbing a wet fist into her eyes.

"Ow," she moaned, and Carol looked up with a set face, handing Therese a washcloth.

"Darling, if you'd stay still . . . I'm not sure how you manage to have a shower without getting soap in your eyes if you're this squirmy!"

"I keep my eyes closed," retorted Therese, but she wiped her eyes and held still while Carol used a small ceramic bowl to wash the shampoo from Therese's hair. Carol smiled as Therese, her hair slicked back, continued to play with her rubber duck. 

"I wonder if I should have waited to plan the zoo with you until after your bath. I'm not sure how I'm going to get you calm enough to go to sleep tonight." She grabbed a towel from the rack beside her and held it open. "Come on. I think we both should turn in early tonight. It'll be a busy week at work, we both know that."

"Oh, can't I stay up a little longer?" Therese whined. "I wanted to watch the Ed Sullivan Show tonight. It won't run too late, Carol."

"That television was a mistake," grumbled Carol. "I'll wager that's why you're so tired lately; it excites your brain." But Therese grinned; she knew Carol loved the new television just as much as Therese did, and they enjoyed watching the programs together. Therese got out of the bath and let Carol snuggle her tightly in the towel, burrowing into Carol's chest and smiling as Carol dropped kisses all over her forehead and hair and cheeks.

"You are absolutely adorable," murmured Carol, "and that must be why I let you get away with everything. All right. We can watch Ed Sullivan and then it's bedtime. I'm exhausted, even if you aren't. I'm not sure where Sundays suddenly became work days instead of days of rest, but I'll say I'm fairly tired of being called into work when it should be a day off."

Therese slipped her warm hand into Carol's and squeezed it reassuringly, and Carol smiled down at her as they went into the bedroom for Therese to get dressed for bed. Carol pulled out a snowy terrycloth diaper and a fresh pair of plastic pants and pins from the wardrobe, and Therese, after towelling her hair dry a little, lay down obediently on the bed.

They had gone to the doctor - an extremely embarrassing experience - to see if Therese had any physical thing wrong with her bladder, but the doctor had just shrugged. "She's just nervous," he'd said to Carol, who he imagined was Therese's aunt. "I can refer her to a psychiatrist, but generally these problems go away on their own, if she'll work at it."

Therese had chosen not to be referred to a psychiatrist and now rarely thought about her wetting problems unless she was at work. She had become so good at hiding it that she rarely even blushed when she had an accident at her desk or in front of someone. She was still a little embarrassed when it happened right in front of Carol, but only because Carol seemed to always know when she was wet. "It's the way you stand, darling. It's quite obvious if one knows you."

Carol pinned Therese's diaper on her tightly, but not before placing extra cloth into it to hold Therese overnight and guarantee them both a full night's sleep without Therese needing to wake up to be changed. After Therese was diapered, Carol helped her climb into a pair of light pink seersucker pajamas and then handed Therese the brush to comb out her wet hair. "You'd better hurry," she said. "Ed will be on in ten minutes."

Therese scuttled out to the living room and turned on the television, picking up the woolen throw from the couch and wrapping it around herself. Carol came and joined her after ten minutes or so, carrying a glass with three fingers of bourbon and a glass of warm milk for Therese, and settled with Therese on the couch, cuddling Therese close. Therese felt safe, sipping her milk and listening to the ice clink in Carol's glass. Sometimes, Carol would pour a glass of bourbon for Therese, too, but Therese preferred milk before she went to sleep.

When the show ended, Therese was almost asleep in Carol's arms. Carol kissed her forehead and then checked her diaper. Therese was still dry, so Carol helped her up, despite Therese's whiny protestations that she was too tired to want to move, and sent her into the bathroom to brush her teeth. When Therese was ready, Carol was dressed in her silky white nightgown and she went into the bathroom to get herself ready for bed, while Therese climbed into the big queen-size bed and snuggled into her pillows, stealing Carol's so that she could bury her face into its sweet-smelling depths.

When Carol came out, she chuckled. "Are you already asleep, sweetie?"

Therese murmured and rolled over, her eyes closed. Carol climbed into bed and gently extricated her pillow from Therese's clutches. "I guess so. Well, I'm off the hook, I gather?" She lay down, reaching over to turn off the light, when Therese opened her eyes and whimpered. 

"But what about . . . ?"

"What about what?" Carol's eyes were sparkling, but her voice was deceptively light. "I thought you were too sleepy to want to nurse tonight?"

Therese pouted, the type of pout she knew Carol couldn't resist. "Carol."

"Carol what?" Carol turned over, her back to Therese, and reached for the lamp's cord again. "You told me you were sleepy."

"Carol, please?" whined Therese, and Carol gave up, pulling Therese into her arms and covering her with kisses. Therese giggled and buried her face into Carol's shoulder, and Carol kissed her hair.

"Come on, then." She sat up and Therese scrambled into position, pulling at Carol's nightgown until Carol swatted her hands away and unbuttoned it herself. "You certainly are impatient tonight."

"You were going to not let me nurse," grumbled Therese. "You know I need to."

"Yes, I know you need to," said Carol gently, stroking Therese's hair as she latched on. "I wouldn't forget a thing like that."

Therese made a face around Carol's breast, but after a few moments, her eyes closed and Carol began to hum an Ella Fitzgerald song, rubbing Therese's back and rocking her a little. This, thought Therese, was her favourite part of the day. No matter how tired they both were, they needed this intimate time together.

Therese nursed until Carol patted her cheek. "That's enough for tonight, darling. You're tired and I don't mind saying, I am, too."

Therese made another face, but obediently unlatched, sleepily turning over onto her side and letting Carol spoon her. Just before they dropped off, though, Carol murmured, "I think we'll ask Abby to come with us to the zoo next weekend."

And Therese barely had time to think about that before she fell asleep.

//~//

"Therese, I'm not sure why you're being so difficult this morning!" Carol ran a hand through her blonde hair, exasperated. "Darling, you're going to have to bring a jacket. You know how cold you get. And it may be nice this afternoon, but it certainly won't be by the evening; May nights are still quite chilly. I'm not sure if Abby is going to want to go out to a restaurant after we finish at the zoo. You might need to pack more than just one change, too."

Therese pouted. "I don't like carrying a big bag. It gets too heavy."

"Well, we can leave it in the car, but that means when you need a diaper change, we're going to have to go back to the car to get it."

"It doesn't matter," said Therese, her voice clipped. "If it's going to be all this trouble, we don't even have to go! I'll stay home. You go with Abby and have a nice day." There were tears in her voice now; that wasn't missed by Carol.

Carol sat on the couch beside Therese. "Whatever is the matter today?" She stroked Therese's hair, and despite herself, Therese leaned into Carol. "You're as nervous as a cat, sweetheart."

"I don't want to be any trouble," sniffled Therese. "I know that Abby thinks I will be."

"She doesn't think that at all. Goodness, Therese, where do you get these ideas in your head?" Carol rubbed Therese's back. "Abby is as excited as I am to show you the Bronx Zoo. I think you're a little overwrought. You're probably a bit overexcited too, aren't you?"

That at least was true. Therese nodded and Carol patted her back. "Why don't we have a little nurse and you can calm down, hmm?" She checked her watch. "Abby will be here in about half an hour and I think we're just about ready, anyway. I'll even carry your bag for you if it gets too heavy." She winked at Therese, who slowly smiled back.

Carol settled on the couch and Therese nursed thoughtfully, trying to parse out her feelings. It was true that she didn't feel as comfortable around Abby and took quite awhile to warm up. But it was more that it was so rare that she could have a full day with Carol, enjoying an outing, getting ice cream, having Carol surreptitiously wipe her face and rub her back. They couldn't hold hands in public, but sometimes Carol would take her hand briefly to lead her somewhere or to show her something, and Therese thrilled to it. And she never had to worry about her little side with Carol. While it was very toned down in public, Carol knew when Therese needed to eat or to rest or to be changed without even asking her. When Abby was there, well, it changed the dynamic.

Abby was much more energetic than both Therese and Carol. She was also less understanding when Carol needed to take care of Therese, not quite knowing, Therese imagined, why Therese couldn't put aside her usual little personality for the day and run hither and thither with Abby. Carol was also less attentive to Therese around Abby, which was awkward, since Therese found herself hanging back, awkwardly trailing behind the two laughing women. She also knew that Abby was less willing to tolerate any sour moods, so she stayed more quiet than usual, which could be hard when she got into a chatterbox mood and wanted to tell Carol everything.

But Therese was excited for the zoo, and before Carol asked her to, she unlatched and sat up. "We should get ready to go," she said, and Carol smiled.

"You are excited. I don't think you've ever stopped nursing on your own before."

Therese squirmed a little, knowing it was childish, but deciding not to care. "I just really want to get there. There are so many animals to see!"

Carol laughed. "All right. Let's get you changed and then Abby should be here."

True to her word, Abby arrived precisely at one o'clock, knocking at the door. Therese ran to answer it, and Abby smiled at her. "Hello, Therese. Are you ready for the zoo?"

Therese smiled shyly. Abby was dressed as usual in one of her well-tailored suits, her hair pinned back carefully. She wore no makeup, while both Therese and Carol wore lipstick and mascara, Carol also wearing eyeliner. Abby unwrapped the scarf she wore in her convertible and stepped forward to give Therese a hug. Therese allowed it, but she didn't really like to be cuddled by anyone but Carol. 

Carol came bustling in, pinning her hat into place and adjusting the light blazer she wore over her blouse and skirt. "Hello, darling." She kissed Abby hello on the cheek. "I think we're just about ready. Therese, don't forget your bag. We'll have to come home early if you forget to bring it and I'd rather not drive back across town just to change you."

Abby raised her eyebrows, but said nothing. Therese didn't miss the look she exchanged with Carol, or the way Carol looked away. It was well-known between the three of them that Abby had only allowed Carol to be little, early in their relationship, sometimes, and didn't approve of the full-time lifestyle that Therese and Carol led. But nothing was said, and the awkward moment passed. Therese obediently picked up her bag and followed them out the door, Carol locking it securely behind them.

Carol had mentioned to Therese that she hoped Therese would be able to nap a little in the back of the car on the way to the zoo, based on the fact that they would be missing her nap today. Therese was too excited, though, and looked eagerly out the back windows as Abby sped through Manhattan, she and Carol laughing and talking in the front seat. Therese briefly remembered wanting to go to the yearly Central Park Zoo outing with the Home, but she was never able to afford the cost of the trip like the other girls. So she'd stay home with Sister Alicia, drawing pictures of the animals she wanted to see and never could. Richard hadn't been interested in the zoo, so they'd never gone, either. Now she was finally getting to go, and overexcited was definitely an understatement, thought Therese, as she squirmed again in the backseat and grinned.

Abby winked at her. "Those dimples sure are adorable, Therese. It's nice to see you smile."

Carol looked mock-outraged. "Are you suggesting I'm not making her smile enough?"

Abby laughed. "On the contrary, I think she smiles a lot more since she moved in with you than she ever has." Abby put a cigarette into her mouth, and Carol lit it for her before lighting one of her own. Therese waited to be asked if she wanted one, but Carol didn't ask her, so she leaned forward. 

"I'll have one, too."

"No, darling. Cigarettes aggravate your cough. You don't want to feel wheezy today of all days." 

Abby rolled her eyes. "If the girl wants a smoke, Carol, I'm sure she could have one." But she subsided when Carol shot her a meaningful glare, and Therese leaned back against the convertible's seat, trying not to scowl. While she usually liked to be treated like a child, sometimes Therese wanted to be seen as a little more adult in front of people like Abby, whether she was wearing a diaper or not.

They arrived at the Bronx Zoo about half an hour later, Abby expertly zigzagging through traffic and making Therese feel a little carsick. But they pulled into a parking space close to the zoo's gates and Carol opened the door of the car to let Therese out of the backseat. "Well, we're here!"

It was all Therese could do not to run to the gates. She contented herself with rocking a little from foot to foot as Abby fished her bag out of the trunk and lit another cigarette. "Well, Carol, have you got the tickets?"

"No, we'll buy them at the gate." Carol was looking through her purse for her wallet. Abby handed Therese's bag to her and started walking towards the gates of the zoo. 

"Come on, slowpokes!"

Carol purchased three tickets, waving Abby's money away. "No, today it can be on me. You can take me out dancing another night."

"Fair enough. Are we going to bring the little one?" Abby winked at Therese, who scowled. She wasn't a 'little one', especially not in public. Carol looked at Therese reprovingly. 

"If she wants to come."

Therese decided to ignore them both. Handing her ticket to the attendant at the gate, she scampered into the zoo, not bothering to look and see if Carol and Abby were behind her. The smells of popcorn, cotton candy, and spilled ice cream, with the slight acrid scent of animals, hit her, and everywhere she looked, there were people. Children pulled at their parents' hands in all directions, or clutched balloons and plastic animals. She froze in place, overwhelmed for a moment by all of the sensory overload.

Carol caught up to her and squeezed her hand. "Therese, please stay with us. It's a big place, and while I'm certain you'd be able to find the car just fine, I'd rather not have to spend time figuring out where everyone is." She let go of Therese's hand and Abby came up beside her. 

"Well? Where do you want to start?" 

Therese spoke up excitedly. "I'd like to see the elephants."

Carol smiled. "Elephants it is."

They walked up the dusty path, Carol and Abby chatting. "Yes, I saw him at one of those cocktail parties that Kitty Harwood was giving, but you know, I didn't speak to him. What would have been the point? He's finally learning that, I guess."

"Well, it's nice he's not consistently bothering you about me. We chat most Sundays when I call Rindy, but it's really about what Rindy needs more than anything else."

Therese turned back. "Are you two coming?"

Abby smiled. "Someone's excited."

"She's been talking about it for days. Therese hasn't ever been to the zoo before," replied Carol.

"So you told me." Abby smiled at Therese. "They should be straight ahead. Can you see the pen?"

A number of elephants, hippopotamuses, and rhinoceroses grazed in the large enclosure ahead of Therese. Forgetting herself for a moment, she ran up to the fence, as giddy as a child, and watched as an elephant took a trunkful of water and sprayed it over its head. One of the rhinos came close to the fence, and Therese stood, enthralled, as the animal looked at the people lined up along the fence unconcernedly and then ambled away. 

"I never thought I'd actually see them in real life," she said, and Carol, beside her, smiled at her.

"Well, I'm glad we thought of coming here today."

Abby was beginning to look bored, and consulted the yellow map of the animal enclosures. "Where to next, ladies?"

"Therese?" Carol looked at her, and Therese looked at her own map. 

"Well, the lions are right over there." She pointed behind her, and Abby nodded.

"I've always liked those big cats."

"You've always liked cats in general; you've got about three of them," said Carol drily, lighting a cigarette.

"Oh, Carol, if there was some way for me to actually be able to keep lions, you can bet I would."

Therese smiled at that. "You'd keep lions, Abby?"

"Sure. You'll see once we get there. Come on," and Abby took Therese's arm companionably. Therese felt a little strange at being touched by another woman in public, but there were dozens of women around, some with arms linked. Therese wished that Carol would allow them to walk that way sometimes. Abby certainly didn't seem to mind.

The lions were majestic, but smelly. Therese wrinkled her nose as Abby peered into the cage. "They used to have four. I wonder what happened to the other female."

"How can you tell which one is male and which one is female?"

"Well, these are young cats, so you just have to look for more hair around the male's head." Abby pointed. "He's not got his full mane in yet. Therese, isn't he beautiful?" They watched as the big cat stretched, looking exactly like the house cats Therese saw lounging on the fire escape on warm afternoons. She smiled and Abby smiled with her.

"Now, can't you see me with two of those beauties in my back garden?"

Carol laughed from behind them. "I can see it. I'm not sure your neighbours could."

"One of these days, Carol, if it ever becomes legal . . ."

"And you'll set them on any stranger who comes to the door. I've heard it." Carol placed a hand on Abby's shoulder, and they laughed, turning away from Therese, leaving her standing by herself at the Lion House. Therese wanted to run after them, grab both of their hands, let them know she wanted them to wait for her, but instead, she turned quietly from the lions and trailed them to the next exhibit.

After an hour of looking at animals, Therese was wet and starting to feel hungry and thirsty. Abby was starting to complain that her heels were hurting her feet, so Carol suggested taking a break. "Look, there's a cafeteria just over there. We can get a little snack."

Abby nodded. "All right."

"Therese, sweetheart, how are you holding up?" asked Carol, and Therese looked at the dusty path before murmuring, "I need to go to the ladies' room."

Carol turned back to Abby. "I'll go with her, unless you'd like to go, too."

"No, go and take care of things. I'll get us something from the cafeteria." Abby wandered off, and Carol took Therese's hand for a moment, leading her towards the restrooms.

One of the things that made outings hard was that Carol couldn't change her when she needed it, thought Therese as she supported herself against the cold wall of the bathroom stall and unpinned her soaked diaper. Dropping it and the plastic pants into the small vinyl-lined wetbag that Carol had sewed for her to take to work, she took out the fresh pair of plastic pants with the folded diaper inside of it and awkwardly pinned it on herself. She wasn't very good at it, even still, and she pricked herself several times, cursing under her breath.

Carol was waiting for her at the sinks and waited until Therese had finished washing her hands before looking around the deserted bathroom and stroking Therese's hair. "Are you very tired, sweetheart?"

Therese shook her head. She wasn't tired at all, just hungry. "I just need something to eat, I think."

"All right." Quickly checking again to make sure that no one was around, Carol pulled back the waistband of Therese's skirt to check her pins. "You've got to pin them more tightly, Therese. You'll leak otherwise."

"I can't do it," Therese pouted. "It's very hard to do it by yourself, Carol."

Carol took Therese's hand and led her into a stall, closing the door and locking it securely. There wasn't much room, but she pulled Therese's skirt down a little and repinned her diaper quickly. "We'll have to scoot, but that should do it."

Therese smiled and Carol kissed her quickly, smiling back. "Come on."

Abby had some hot dogs and French fries with ketchup on the table outside the cafeteria. "I figured we could share. I know it's about four o'clock; I wasn't sure what time we wanted to have supper."

"I wasn't sure we would go out, to be honest. I'm not sure how tired everyone's going to be," said Carol, picking at one of the French fries. Therese bit into a hot dog, knowing Carol meant her. She carefully avoided Abby's pointed gaze.

"Well, I guess we'll have to see," she said lightly, but there was a slight undercurrent of resentment in her tone, and Carol didn't miss it. She looked away from Abby, and Therese started to feel a little guilty.

"I'm sure we'll be hungry later, too, Abby," she said tentatively, and Abby nodded. "It'll be all right, Therese."

They ate, Carol and Abby discussing Jeanette and Cy, two of Harge's friends and Carol's old friends, and then Abby stood up. "Should we push on?"

"We still have to see all of the North American animals," smiled Carol, and took Therese's hand for a moment before letting it go and walking on with Abby. Therese trailed behind, excited to see the rest of the animals, but tired of walking behind the two women, who were again laughing about something she didn't know anything about.

They walked around the zoo for the rest of the afternoon, Carol pausing at one point to make Therese put on her jacket, and Therese found herself enthralled by all of the animals, there in the flesh before her. She'd seen most of them in books, and a few animals like deer and foxes when she went out to New Jersey with Carol, but never the colours of the birds and the interesting movements of the monkeys in real life. She'd often be standing in front of an enclosure long after Carol and Abby were ready to move on. Carol would gently lead her on by taking her hand or touching her shoulder, but Abby had no such qualms and would actually hold onto Therese's hand for awhile if she wasn't moving fast enough.

Near the end of the day, when the spring sun was going in, Therese found herself starting to feel tired and fractious. She'd been wet for awhile, but didn't want to disturb Abby and Carol, who were enjoying the walk around the animal enclosures. She stood awkwardly on the path behind them, feeling her bladder release, and didn't follow them until Abby turned around and was about to call impatiently to Therese. 

Abby opened her mouth, but looked at the way that Therese was standing and nudged Carol, who turned around.

"Ah." Carol walked over to Therese. "Time for a break, maybe?"

Therese shook her head. She just wanted to go home, now. She'd had a wonderful day - Carol had even bought her a little elephant statue and an art book of all of the zoo animals at the gift shop - but she was ready to leave the zoo behind. There were children all around her, some of them crying in exhaustion, and Therese wanted to join them. She would have, if it had been appropriate and if Abby hadn't been standing there.

"Look, Abby," said Carol, turning back to her best friend, "I think Therese would like to get home. And I wouldn't mind ordering Chinese takeout or something, if you're up for it?"

Abby looked annoyed. "Well, I was hoping we could all go out tonight, but I'll settle for Chinese as long as you let me do the ordering. And as long as you've got enough booze in the house."

Therese piped up, then. "Did you really think we wouldn't, Abby?"

Abby looked surprised, and then laughed. "The little one has some spunk. No, mouthpiece, I didn't, but I like to make sure." She winked at Therese, who, despite her exhaustion and ongoing jealousy, smiled back.

"Come on, then, let's get to the car." Carol let Abby walk ahead, but in a rare show of public affection, linked her arm through Therese's and asked her in a low voice, "How wet are you?"

"I can make it home," replied Therese, though it may not have been strictly true. But she didn't want to change in the zoo toilets again and she was ready to go home and decompress a little. She was more tired than she wanted to let on.

In the car, Therese, despite feeling cold and wet, fell asleep in the backseat, the wind rushing around her ears and making any conversation impossible, anyway. She didn't wake up until Abby turned into the tiny parking lot behind the building and illegally parked in someone else's space beside Carol's champagne Packard. 

"Abigail," scolded Carol, but they laughed and Therese felt Carol's hand on her knee. "Wake up, sweetheart. We're home."

Therese had never wished more that Carol would pick her up and carry her into the house, and she had never wished more that she actually was little. Going upstairs seemed like such a lot of work. But she allowed Carol to help her out of the car and Abby took Therese's bag. Therese, though she tried to be more adult in front of Abby, couldn't help whimpering a little as she climbed the stairs and felt the cold wetness of her diaper rub against her skin. Carol clucked under her tongue. 

"I usually wouldn't allow it, but you can have a rest before dinner if you like, Therese. I know you're tired."

"Carol, she's young. I'm sure she's fine, aren't you, Therese?" Abby sounded slightly fractious herself as she unlocked the door for Carol. They stepped into the apartment and after Therese had removed her shoes and coat, she rubbed her eyes in exhaustion, holding her arms out to Carol, uncaring if Abby saw.

"All right, darling. Abby, can you call the place on the corner? I think the take out menu is by the phone. Try the drawer in the table, there."

Abby turned and picked up the menu. "Don't take too long; I'll need you to help me decide. Is the little one going to eat, or?"

"I'm not little!" Therese's voice was suddenly loud in the hushed silence of the apartment. Carol, who was holding Therese close, patted her back half-reprovingly, half-soothingly. 

"Therese."

"I'm not, and she always says it, and I don't like it!" Therese realized, somewhere in her rational mind, that this was unacceptable behaviour, but she didn't care. She was tired and wet and a little hungry, and she just wanted Carol's full attention right now. 

Carol looked down at Therese, who, she realized, was very close to tears. "All right. I'm not sure what's getting into you. Apologize to Abby, please, and then you can have a little nap since you seem to be very overwrought right now."

Abby looked a little smug. "Not little? Well, you certainly seem little. This isn't exactly adult behaviour."

"I don't care!" Therese raised her voice again, something she would have never done before she'd gotten into this relationship with Carol. It felt oddly freeing. "You don't like me, Abby; that's fine. I'm sorry about that. But I'm not stupid, or a child," she finished, the tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "And I've been nothing but nice to you."

"Oh, Therese. Abby, I'm sorry - " Carol started to say, but Abby's face had flushed a little, and she came over to Therese.

"No, Carol, this is what comes of doing this all the time. I wouldn't have allowed this from you, and I won't from her. She needs some time to sort herself out." Seizing Therese's hand, Abby stalked down the hall and opened the door of the guest room, giving Therese a gentle push inside. "I'm sorry, but I won't allow you to just ignore this. I understand she's tired, but enough is enough." Abby closed the door behind Therese and Therese burst into tears, leaning her head against the closed door.

She heard Carol, dimly through her tears. "Abby, I say, I don't even know where to begin. You've been twitting Therese all day, and you know she doesn't take to teasing well. And then you decide to punish her without my permission or even understanding that she's tired? You do realize she's worked overtime three weeks out of this month? That's almost every night, late, and most weekends. Even if she wasn't as fragile as she is, that's a lot of work."

"I do realize it, Carol, but she needs some boundaries. She can't be rude because she's not feeling herself. Come on now."

Carol sighed, loudly. "I just don't know. She's usually so quiet and she doesn't speak up. I think you deserved it. And I'm going to go and look after her. Stay, or go, whatever you like."

"Carol." And there was a silence; Abby was likely embracing Carol. "Now come along. You know yourself she was out of line. Give her a few moments to calm down. I know Therese; I know she's overtired and she didn't mean it. And I shouldn't have kept teasing her. You're right about that."

Carol's voice again. "Well, I'll certainly get her to apologize. But maybe you should go in there?"

"I'll go in there. Order some dinner, all right?"

Therese heard footsteps coming towards the door, and she backed away, sniffling, sitting down on the twin bed. She knew she was out of line, but she was tired of Abby's barbed remarks and disapproval. Therese felt ashamed - not of what she had said to Abby, but that she was little like this, that she needed so much care even as an adult. She curled up on the bed, hugging the pillow to her chest, and looked up as there was a soft knock on the door.

"Therese?"

She looked at the comforter as Abby opened the door and came to sit on the bed beside her. There was silence for a few moments. Therese refused to look at Abby.

Abby smoothed the comforter. "Therese. I'm sorry that I snapped at you. I know you're feeling tired. But see here, I don't like it when you snap at me, either."

Therese said nothing. Abby continued. "I'm a teaser by nature; Carol can confirm it. I guess I didn't realize you weren't as into it as I am, though. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

Therese looked at Abby. "I'm sorry I snapped," she said. "But I'm not sorry I said you didn't like me. Because you don't."

Abby looked surprised. "Therese, I like you just fine. You're a great kid. And Carol loves you."

"That's why you don't like me," said Therese, her voice sounding rusty. She cleared her throat. "Because Carol loves me."

Abby looked guarded. "Well, you're certainly one to get right to the heart of the matter." She picked at a spot of lint on her skirt. "That might be true. In fact, it probably is true, a bit. But I do like you. You're good for Carol. And you've helped her get her life back in order. She seems much happier with you. I'm just sad, I guess, that it couldn't be me."

Therese looked at Abby, who was now avoiding her gaze. "I do love her. A lot."

"I know. And I'm sorry; I think I'm a bit overwrought as well. But, young lady," and now Abby's eyes were sparkling, "I don't want you to take it out on me. I won't take it out on you, okay?"

Therese managed a smile. "Okay." She leaned forward, then, and Abby gave her a tight hug. Carol stood at the door, watching them both, when Therese looked up.

"All better now?"

Abby nodded. "I think she needs a nap. When's dinner?"

"They said we could pick it up in about an hour." Carol came and sat between Abby and Therese on the bed, taking Therese into her arms. "I'm going to take care of Therese; I'll be out as soon as she's asleep."

Abby nodded and got up. "Have a nice nap, Therese."

Therese sighed as Abby left the room and turned into Carol, burrowing her face into Carol's shoulder. Carol rubbed her back and hushed her a little. "Let's change your diaper and get you comfortable, sweetheart. It's been a big day."

"But I loved the zoo," said Therese as Carol stood up, taking her hand. Carol smiled.

"You certainly seemed to. Do you still have the little elephant I got you?"

"It's in the bag." Therese let go of Carol and picked up the bag from the hallway, taking it with them into the master bedroom. Carol emptied the wetbag into their bigger one at the side of the wardrobe and tied it securely, commenting, "I think we'll need to send the laundry out soon. Can you give them a call on Monday?"

Therese nodded and lay down on the bed. As Carol changed her, she clutched the little plastic elephant, remembering how big the animals had been, their grey sides like walls in front of her, their agile trunks just like another limb. "I liked the elephants the best, I think."

"It must have been interesting to see them for the first time. I definitely felt that way when I saw them as a child," said Carol, pinning Therese securely into her diaper and pulling up her plastic pants. She went to wash her hands and Therese picked up the book Carol had gotten her, flipping through it. She was going to try to sketch some of the animals after dinner. Maybe Abby would draw with her. She'd learned that Abby enjoyed drawing, and Therese liked to show her the sketches and compare them with Abby's.

Therese yawned as Carol came back into the room and climbed into bed, holding out her arms for Therese. Therese settled and latched on, her finger tracing over the mole on Carol's chest, her eyes fluttering.

"I'm glad we got to take a little break," murmured Carol. "It was nice to get out for awhile."

Therese nodded against Carol's breasts, unlatching to yawn widely. Carol stroked her hair.

"Go to sleep, baby."

And Therese did.


End file.
